The invention relates generally to resin transfer molding and, more particularly, to molding apparatus for such resin transfer molding. The invention also relates more particularly to methods of fabricating resin transfer molding apparatus.
In the past, when a female mold member included a recess which was sufficiently small or sharp, the flexible bag was sometimes unable to enter into the recess in close association with the recess and, as a consequence, in molded articles including such a recess, the article included excessive amounts of the resin in the recessed area. One example of such a recess which produced excessive amounts of resin in the molded article is the recess which produces a chine or strake on the outer surface of a boat hull.
Such articles with excessive amounts of resin were not as economically manufactured as they might be.
Attention is directed to U.S. Pat. 4,822,436 (issued Apr. 18, 1989), as well as PCT Application WO 85/01472 (International Publication date: 11 Apr. 1985) and German Application 34 39 285 (Issued 22 Aug. 1985).